COSMETIC FACIAL SURGERY
Cosmetic facial surgery is described by so many terms it can be quite confusing for patients to understand. Full facelifts typically included forehead lifts/browlifts, upper and lower eyelids, face and neck lift. A ‘mini’ facelift or lower facelift is commonly used to describe doing the face and the neck only. Other terms have been trademarked to describe surgical procedures for marketing purposes. The most important advice is to clearly communicate with the doctor what bothers you and what you would like changed. The second most important thing is for you to listen to the doctor since he/she may see things you never noticed or thought of. Then all parties must understand what is or is not going to be accomplished from the surgery.
Dr. Dabbah takes pride and great strides in providing his patients with a natural youthful face. If a patient is looking for a wind-tunnel look or an extremely tight face with unnatural creases, he will refuse to do the surgery. Dr. Dabbah wants his patients to look rejuvenated, not unrecognizable. He employs multiple approaches to achieve this goal. He will analyze the patient’s facial features and discuss all the concerns. He will then devise a surgical plan to address the issues discussed.
Facelift
Cosmetic facial surgery is described using so many terms it can be confusing to patients. Years ago, full facelifts usually included forehead lifts/browlifts, upper and lower eyelids, face and neck surgery. A “mini” facelift or lower facelift is commonly used to describe surgery of the lower face and neck. Other terms have been trademarked for marketing purposes. The most important advice is for the patient to clearly communicate to the doctor what is bothersome and what he or she wants changed. Secondly, it is vital for the patient to truly listen to what the surgeon is saying since he may be raising issues not previously thought about. A successful surgery begins with realistic expectations.
Facelift surgery is designed to improve the jowls of the jawline, remove loose skin and more importantly, restore volume. As we age, our skin ages resulting in thinner, less elastic tissue. Fat can be repositioned, underlying tissues can be tightened and excess skin can be removed without causing an unnatural look. But facelift surgery cannot improve the quality of the skin. Other procedures such as lasers, peels and quality skin care are an absolute must to improve the skin quality.
Necklift
Necklift surgery involves the tightening of underlying muscles, contouring of fat and the removal of hanging skin. This is usually performed at the time of the facelift, however, in rare situations, it can be performed without the need for a facelift.
Liposuction and Platysmoplasty
Patients who come in with minimal hanging skin but complaining of an aging neck can sometimes get away with contouring of the fat and tightening of the neck muscles. The only incision is under the chin and we rely on the skin retraction to give the contour.
Blepharoplasty
Eyelid surgery, also known as a blepharoplasty, is helpful for those who feel that their eyes make them look tired. It may be hanging skin of the upper lids or more involved such as fatty pockets of the lower lids. More advanced procedures today involve preservation of the fat surrounding the eyes. Instead of removing the fat and creating a hollow appearance, fat is placed back where it belongs and the overlying muscles are repositioned and tightened. This allows for a youthful appearance and maintains volume in this area. Skin quality is extremely important and peels or lasers may be necessary to get rid of wrinkles or lines.
